Music-leaf turner.



L. M. LARSEN MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3:. 1916.

Patnted Sept. 3, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- L. M. LARSEN.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

1 APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3!.1916. 1 ,277,608. Q Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- x z I 26 4:5 Q55 MW 4j J4 "1351a 45 lea/47132, .Zarseru. 233 A Z a LEONARD M. LARSEN, 0F BIRIVAMWOOD, WISCONSIN.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Application filed October 31, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD M. LARSEN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Birnamwood, in the county of Shawano and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music- Leaf Turners, of which the following is a specification. l 1

This invention has relation to music leaf turner attachments for pianos and the nature and objects thereof will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings, illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment, or mechanical expression, of my invention from among other forms and arrangements within the spirit I thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

However, an obiect of the invention is to provide a music leaf turning device in the nature of anattachment which may be read ily applied to a standard piano, with a view to concealing as much ofthe apparatus as possible, and to provide an apparatus which may be readily actuated by a foot pedal arrangement to turn the leaves of the music successively without distracting the attention of the player.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a music leaf turner of the character described, a new and novel means for suc cessively releasing one sheet of the music after another upon successive actuations of the foot pedal.

In addition to the foregoing my invention comprehends improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts, a

without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughoutthe several views in which they appear;

Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of a piano illustrating the application thereto Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 3, 1918 Serial No. 128,747.

Fig. 5, is a view of the end portion of the.

clamp for securing the attachment to a 1 piano. 1 a

Fig. 6, is a detail sectional View of the bar for supporting the music leaf engaging bars,

and illustrating the manner in which the bars are associated therewith.

' Fig, 6, is a detail view of an extension for said supported bar- Fig. 6", is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner of operation of the leaf through the clip of the preceding figure.

Fig. 10, is a vertical sectional view in detail illustrating the foot pedal for actuatingthe apparatus.

Fig. 11, is a sectional detail view illustrating the fulcrum block for supporting the pedal actuated lever.

Fig. 12, is a transverse sectional view taken through the block of the preceding figure.

Fig. 13, is a detail sectionalview of the. intermediate portion of the pedal actuate With reference to the drawings, and par-.

ticularly Fig. 1, which is a view of a piano illustrated in end elevation, the top board 1, of the piano in accordance with standard construction is formed with an outwardly extending overhanging ledge 2, and in addition thereto a depending portion 3 is formed. The present invention contemplates the sup port of the attachment upon the top board 1, and to that end an angular clamping ele- -ment 4: is applied to the top board at the 7 rear longitudinal edge thereof, the down ing strip 8 permanently secured at its forward end to the clamp 6 and adjustably secured to the clamp 4: by means of a set screw 9. The depending portion 7 of the clamp 6 is provided with a vertically elongated opening 10, in which the reduced end 11 of a block 12 is designed for vertical move ment. A set screw 13 is seated in a correspondingly threaded opening in the forward end of the reduced portion 11, said set screw being-provided with a head 14: and a flange 15. The flange 15 is adapted to engage the outer face of the )ortion 7, and obviously by tightening up tie set screw subsequently to adjusting the block within the slot said slot may be retained in adjusted relation to the clamp. The inner surfaces of the clamping member 2 as well as the clamping mem ber 4 may be covered with a thickness of felt or the like 16" to prevent injury to the piano. The opposite surface of the block 12 issimilarly provided. These clamping members are illustrated in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 5.

Theblock 12 is provided with a number of internally threaded openings 17 disposed in'longitudinally spaced relation, either of which is adapted to receive'the correspondingly threaded ends 18 of a leaf engaging supporting bar 19. By providing a number of openings, the bar l91nay be disposed toward or away from the'face of thepiano to compensate for different pianos in which the ledge 2 is disposed farther or nearer to the front part of the piano. The said bar is adapted to depend vertically beneath the block 12 and is formed of a solid section and a telescoping outersection 20, the said sections being movable relatively :to each other and secured against movement subsequent to adjustment by means of a set screw 21. The lower end of the section 20 is bent outward at a slight angle with relation to the vertical, said bent portionbeing inclined to coincide with the degree of inclination of the music supporting plate 22 of the piano. The bent extremity 23 of the rod 19 is formed with a pl 'rality of annular grooves 2 in each of which the looped end 25 of a leaf engaging rod 26 is seated. The leaf engaging rods 26 of which three have been illustrated, are thus capable of rotation upon the bent extension 23, in a plane at right angles thereto. A coil spring 27 is provided for each rod, said spring being adapted to encircle the extension 23 with one end thereof secured thereto, and the opposite end wrapped about its corresponding rod 26. In this manner each rod is urged toward the left of the player facing the piano, and is retained against such movement by a device to be presently described.

A rod 19 having an offset may be provided as shown in Fig. 6 to permit the disposal of the inner end of the rod 26 near the piano. At the outer terminal of each of the rods bers 28 and 29, one terminal of each spring being inserted in the openingof each rod, whilejthe other terminal is adapted to bear upon the other face of the member 29, to

urge said member into engagement with the member 28. A finger piece 33 1s secured to the rod between the clamps and adj acent the finger piece 32 whereby upon bringing said 'finger pieces together the'members 29 of each clamp are simultaneously disengaged from their coacting members, so as to rece1ve therebetween a sheet of muslc. Upon releasing the finger pieces, the clamps are automatically brought into engagement upon the sheets of music. The rod 26 is preferably secured to the member 33. A

member of rubber or the like 34 may be provided upon thefront face of each of the members 29 to prevent injury to the piano when said clamps are rapidly swung around under the influence of the spring 27.

Upon the horizontal member of the clamp 6"a'standard 35 is erected and has its upper terminals bifurcated to guide for vertical movement a horizontal rod 36 to'the front terminal of which a downwardly extending rod'37 is connected; Said rod 37 is adapted to extend through a vertical opening in the end of the rod 36, and a set'screw in the latter serves to secure the rod 37 in a vertically adjusted position. The rear end of the rod 36 is inserted in the head portion 38 of a vertical rod 39 located at the rear of the piano. The head '38 is designed to'provide a rigid connection between the rods 39 and 36, whereby upon vertical reciprocation of said rod 39, the rod 36 may be moved vertically; A set screw 40 extending through the head 38 is adapted to engage the rod 36 to permit relative adjustment of the parts. The rod 39 is formed in telescoping sections secured together by means of set Screws 41.

The rod 39 isadapted for vertical reciprocation in the end ofeyebolts 42 secured in the rear board of the piano. The lower end of the rod 39 is adjustably connected to a lever 43 disposedadjacent the floor, and which is fulcrumed in a fulcrum block 44: supported upon a platform 45 which is supported 'upon rubber supports 46, one of which is provided at each corner of the platform. The fulcrum block 4.4 which is shown in detail in Figs. 11 and 12, is formed with a groove 47 in which the lever 43 is designed to rest, the bottom of the groove being convexed as at 48 and provided centrally with an upstanding pin portion 49. The lever 43 is provided with upwardly flared openings 50 through which the pin passes, while the under side of the lever is designed to rest upon the convexed portion 48. Obviously the lever ispermitted a rocking movement in a vertical direction with a sidewise move ment. The forward end of the lever 43 is brought adjacent the usual foot pedals of the piano, and its extremity which is normally disposed in vertical spaced relation abovethe floor is hingedly connected to a foot pedal 51 which is normally inclined downwardly in the opposite direction and is hingedly connected at 52 to a platform 53. A leaf spring 54 beneath the foot pedal tends to retain the pedal in raised position, and consequently the lever 43. Vertical guides 55 are disposed at each side of the lever 43 and foot pedal 51 adjacent their point of connection and a bar 56 connects the guides whereby vertical movement of the pedal and lever is limited by engagement of the hinged member with said bar. The platform is supported upon rubber supports in a manner similar to the platform Obviously by depressing the foot pedal 51 the lever 53 is likewise depressed at its forward end, raising its rear end and thereby imparting a vertical movement to the rod 39 and the rod 36.

To the lower end of the rod 37 which is illustrated in detail in Fig. 4, there is pro-- vided a horizontal bar 57, vertically adjustable upon said rod 37 and provided at one end with a downwardly extended'pon tion 58, having a socket therein for the reduced extremity 59 of the shank 60 of a member having a plurality of depending tines, of various lengths, the longest of which is designated 61 and the remainder respectively as 62 and 63. The reduced extremity of the shank 60 is retained within the pocket by means of a set screw 64 which passes through a threaded opening in the terminal 58 of the rod 57. In this manner rotative adjustment of the prongs of the forked device is provided relative to the supporting bar thereof 67. I

In the operation of this device, the music is rested upon the support 22 therefor of the piano, and the leaves to be turned are separately clasped by one of the clamps at the terminal of each of the rods 26. The rods 26 are then moved to the right and one of said rods disposed between each of the tines 61, 62, and 63 of the "forked device. This arrangement is substantially as shown in Fig. 6 and 6 from which it will be noted that 'n cross section the rods 26 are disposed. invertical spaced relation, as well as in horizontally spaced relation- The tines of the forkeddevice being thus engaged upon the rods 26, swinging movement toward the left of said rod is precluded. When'the first sheet is to be turned, the foot pedal 51 is depressed, thereby raising the rod 39 vertically and also the rods 36 which in turn through the medium of the devices previously described impart a vertical movement to the forked member through a predetermined distance. The first upward movement of the forked device results in therelease of the lowermost one of the rods 26, permitting the same to move toward the left under the influence of its spring, thereby turningover the leaf. During the release of said rods 26,.

lowermost tine 61. The next rod 26 is re leased in a similar manner. Any number of rods 26 may be provided of course but for all practical purposes three have been found to be amply suflicient. I

While I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations thereover may be made, and I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changin the form of the details of construction an arrangement of the correlated parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. A music leaf turning attachment for pianos, including a clamping element adapt ed to engage the top board of a piano, a depending rod secured to the forward end of the clamp and having anoutwardly bent terminal provided with a plurality of annular grooves, a corresponding number of leaf engaging rods having looped terminals seated within the grooves, coil springs engaging said bent terminal and rods to urge them toward the left, clasps at the terminals of each rod adapted to engage a sheet of music, a depending fork having a plurality of tines of varying lengths, between which a rod is adapted to enter and be held toward the right, a foot pedal arrangement for producing vertical movement of said fork to successively release the rods and permit their movement toward the left.

2. A music leaf turning attachment for pianos, including a clamping device adapted to engage the top of a piano,a depending rod secured to th forward end of the clamp and having a plurality of leaf engaging rods pivotally connected to the terminal of the rod and adapted for oscillation, .resilientmeans for urging said rods toward the left,n forked device having a plurality of tines of various lengths between which the rods are adapted to enter to retain said rods toward the right, a normally horizontel rod extending transversely above the piano, a rod depending from its forward end having adpistable connection wlth the fork, avertical rod disposed at therein of the pianonnd having rigid connection with the horizontal rod, and a foot pedal arrangement beneath-the piano for imparting a vertical movement ofthevertioalrod, and hori- 1 zontzilrod thereby raising the fork to a predetermined distance, for successively .re-

lcasing the rods to permit their movement D. WV. VAN DOREN, MAUI) E. Broom.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedior five vcents each, by addressing the -.0ommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

